GUIDE TO THE SECOND YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL

An informative manual for second year law students.
Created by the Black Law Students' Association
of the University of San Diego School of Law

Special thanks to:
Tiffany Bailey
Matthew Bresnahan
Tina Brister
Rose Carrion
Aaron Dumas
Katie Payerle
Dan Rawlins
Adriana Sanchez
Eddie Tsang
Justin Yin
Women's Law Caucus


Summertime:
1) Make your resume solid.
2) Make a cover letter, but leave it open for changing. You will need to tailor each cover letter to the specific needs of each firm.
3) Start your own research. Look on places such as the National Association Directory of Lawyers. Send your resumes and cover letters to about 50-80 firms before school even starts!

On-Campus Interviews (lovingly referred to as "OCI")
1) There are fall and spring OCI, but the BIG DOG is in the fall, when there is considerably more employers than in the spring.
2) You get a chance to “bid” on different firms by dropping your resume off for those firms. You may or may not be selected for an interview.
3) APPLY TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE!! And importantly, do NOT limit yourself to only those that claim they want someone in the top 10%, even if you are not in the top 10%! Oftentimes, a firm “desires” someone in the top 10%, but something else on your resume may stand out to them, enough where they are willing to overlook your slightly (or in many cases, considerably) lower GPA.

For incoming 2Ls that already know what area of practice they want to be in:
1) Research all the law firms in the practice area you are interested in and plan on sending your cover letter and resume to them in September. ("If I would have known this, I would have made it a "beginning of the semester" priority. It is completely possible to study abroad and work on this once you come back.")
2) For help on finding which firms in the area specialize in your desired practice area, you can also use the USD alumni book, avail from Career Services, to contact a former USD law grad. The book lists names and practice areas. Tell them who you are and what you are doing. Ask for them to advise you on firms. They will know which firms specialize in what. Make sure that you come across as asking for advice, NOT asking them for a job.
3) Find the professor at USD who specializes in the area you are interested in and ask to be his/her research assistant. The hours are usually not too laborious and he/she will hopefully pass on contacts in the area. This is something that you will want to do now for next semester. Even if you don't think you want to be a research assist until next Spring, you should do it now so that you are on their radar.
4) Attend the ABA conference of the area you want to practice in and network like crazy while you are there. There are often west coast section meetings/conferences in either LA or SD. Make the effort and pay the money- they are well worth it. ("I got 3 job offers out of the one I went to.")
5) Regularly attend San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) meetings in the section of interest to you. Going once or twice isn't going to put your face on notice. You need to go consistently so that people recognize you. Contact your 2006-2007 SDCBA reps for more information: Tina Brister (tinabrister@hotmail.com), Maria Shih (maria-09@sandiego.edu), or Kathryn Snyder (kathrynsnyder@tmail.com).

Recommendations for 2nd Year:
1) Get agency/clinic credits-- they’re a great way to get some actual experience. Easy interview process.
(“The most I’ve learned in law school has been through my participation in clinics.”)

2) If you’re a good writer, take paper classes. They’re an easy way to boost your GPA.

3) -"I am a huge believer in working smarter, not harder. The legal profession is not sales. It is not a numbers game. I have not sent my resume out to any one that didn't ask for it first and I assure you I have had no problems getting work. It is all about getting employers to want you and there are plenty of ways to do that. Too many law students get caught up in trying to do law school the right way and that is a HUGE mistake. People should be open to suggestions, but be prepared to do things their own way.
My advice to 2Ls: Figure out what is important to you (I don't mean what field you want to practice). Don't worry about choosing an emphasis because you can always work for a general practice firm and get exposed to different fields. Clinics are the best way to get experience, but they are competitive and fill up fast (land use only has 6-8 slots open). Apply early. Network, network, network. Join the ABA, SDCBA, etc. The people you meet are going to be the ones helping you get jobs. I am offered a job once a month, on average. While grades are important, be sure that you aren't missing the forest for the trees. You are not your grades!! Two years out of law school, no one will care what your grades were or whether you were on law review. Your reputation, however, will follow you everywhere. Avoid scandal. If you get a disappointing grade in a class, do not for one second believe that you cannot be good at that subject. Law school exams are not always an accurate gauge of grasp of knowledge. When you do get a job, be punctual, diligent and respectful. Make them love you and they will pass on how great you are to their colleagues. Works like a charm.
Pick a professor and make that person your mentor. Develop relationships with as many of your professors as you can. They are a source of wisdom and support. Professors that have actually practiced have quite a bit to offer. Last but certainly not least, take time to be with non-law school friends. Get away from the grind or you will go crazy. Pick up a hobby that does not involve the law."

4) "Second year is the year you really make a push to get a job. So, in order to facilitate that, I have the following four pieces of advice (note that this started out as two, and expanded WAY too fast. That's what you get when you ask me for my opinion!!):
(1) Don't let first year results get to you (no matter what they are)
(2) Pick one or two activities (outside of classes) that really interest you (not just stuff you think you SHOULD be doing.)
(3)(This is maybe the most important): If you're shy, get over it.
(4) As a corollary: Get to know your professors. In true lawyer fashion, I'll work through that little outline below:
1. Relax: First year's over and you've survived! You're still at it. First year has been mostly about academics, and some of you have distinguished yourselves by way of getting good grades. Congratulations! Your life will be relatively easy if you grab the opportunities that will literally fall in your lap. But if you are in this group, a word of warning: You've got grades, but you've still got to impress interviewers-- and you do that by maintaining humility, and recognizing you still have lots to learn. No one likes an arrogant, know-it-alls. Keep an open mind, and keep studying. For the rest, you have all of second year to distinguish yourself in another way-- so you can relax, too!! And follow the next two pieces of advice (the third in particular)!
2. Pick one or two activities (outside of classes) that interest you-- and do them well. Law review is great, but people get jobs without it. (I'm an example). But if you like it, do it! If you want to go into trial work, do Mock Trial and Moot Court. It will make you feel 100% more confident the first time you appear in front of a judge. AND, if you're really good, your grades won't matter when you're winning competitions judged by local lawyers! If you have an area of law that interests you, get involved in that practice group club on campus. It will give you a chance to meet local lawyers that practice in that area. But don't spread yourself too thin-- you still have to study, and you'll get a great job through focus.
3. My other two bits of advice have been relatively politically correct. This one ain't: If you're shy, get over it. Your best bet at getting a great job is to find someone who can give you one, and make them want to help you out. In order to do that, you'll have to take the plunge, shake some hands, and get your name and face out there. Sometimes, if there's someone you want to meet, you "butt in" to conversations at networking events. This doesn't mean you have to be funny, or clever, or even that you have to be the center of attention. But you DO have to introduce yourself to people, network, and take some risks in asking for what you want. You DO have to make yourself memorable. And you do that by being confident, friendly, and willing to meet the right people. As a former shy person, I can tell you it gets easier with time. And mostly, other people are shy, too! So, at these networking events, people are just waiting for someone to come over and talk to them. You'll be surprised how well it works!
4. As a corollary, get to know your professors in particular. They have office hours for this purpose. And most of them are interested in getting to know you. We have an awesome faculty, and they are very willing to write recommendations-- but particularly if they get to know the students. So, get up some nerve, invent a credible-sounding question, take it to their office hours, and see where conversation takes you. You'll find many will ask you about yourself, and you should ask back. Our faculty have some very interesting backgrounds, and they're a great source of advice! You won't get along with all of them-- but some, you will. And that can be a very rewarding professional relationship."

Professors:
1) There are student evaluations for all the professors that you can view. They are located in Carrie Wilson’s office, which is right next to the student mailboxes (if you’re facing the mailboxes, her office is to the left).
2) Various Opinions...
THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM CALIJAMAICAN.BLOGSPOT.COM, THE BRAINCHILD OF USD LAW ALUMNUS, AARON DUMAS (Thanks, Aaron!!)...
THESE ARE PERSONALLY FROM AARON...
"Some of my classes that I care to comment on...
Crim Pro with Dripps: A great class and he really forces you to try and form an opinion and by doing so teaches you material that you need to know.
Evidence with Devitt: A fun and energetic class: D’s teaching style is not for the faint of heart. No section of the classroom is safe from his roving eye and the usual trick of not locking eyes with the professor does not work when trying to avoid being called on.
Wills and Trust with Lilly: His teaching style tends to be more in line with the flow of molasses but he is a great/awesome grader. Class attendance is not mandatory or even encouraged.
Tax with Burke: She was a fun professor – but come on, it’s tax.
Lawyering Skills II with Hartwell: In my mind, it is THE MUST take class in law school – if you do not like speaking in public its perfect for you because it will force you to do that and if you like to hear the sound of your voice, well, its tailor made.
Cal Civ Pro with Heiser: It is a practical course and will be added to the bar next year so good to have it under your belt. He makes the material flow and keeps the class very organized.
Community Property with Wesley: It appears to be rather chill, will know more after the final, attendance is taken via a paper handed round for initials. He is one of the most relaxed professors I have ever seen and he tries to make the class relevant to every day life.
Employment Law with Lobel: Judgment still being formed – powerpoints are available for all the material which is a bonus.
PR with Murr: She loves, and the Cali J means LOVES, stories and analogies. So if you like that teaching style, you will be very comfortable in this class – it flows along nicely and she encourages class participation – which does sometimes lead to ridiculous situations of students raising their hands to spout nonsense.
Paper requirement w/ no one: I resolved the writing requirement by doing an independent research which was great because it allowed me to work on my own with a Professor as an advisor and removed from the structure of the classroom environment (Can be taken for 1 or 2 credits and the choice is YOURS)."

THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS MADE BY OTHER STUDENTS ON AARON’S BLOG, AS WELL AS EXCERPTS FROM RATINGS DONE BY A PREVIOUS CLASS, AND PUT TOGETHER BY A PREVIOUS SBA PRESIDENT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE THE OPINIONS OF MANY STUDENTS AND ARE NOT EXPRESSED OR ENDORSED BY ANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO CREATED THIS PAMPHLET.

A
Alexander (Constitutional Law):
-Test: MC and essay
-Attendance Policy: Attendance not mandatory
-Calling on Policy: Random, but few people get called on. He picks favorites.
-How important reading is: Not that important
-Lecturing style: Very theoretical
-“Ignore commercial outlines. Don’t skip class. He’s got his own theory about everything.”
-“Apparently fantastic when it comes to anything Constitutional, but otherwise dry and doesn't really teach anything straightforward, a lot of papers.”

B
Brooks:
-“I love the suspenders, and he is truly "scrumptious", at least he is passionate about what he is teaching...but not very rule based...a lot of theory/rationale/etc.”-“Awesome, but still don't know anything about Civ Pro (other than judicial activism and level 3 decision making).”
Burke:
-“She made the material interesting which is hard to do with tax. She teaches in a rather relaxed manner and always welcomes questions. She snakes through the rows when asking questions so you know when it's your turn and when to prepare. Her problem sets come from the book and are easy to follow!”

C
Caron (Tax):
-“Take tax with Caron over the summer, it’s the best time to take it. The subject sucks no matter which way you cut it. He is just a good teacher and a funny guy.”
Claus (Contracts):
-“Dry most of the time, favorite phrase is "the thing", whatever the heck "the thing" is I don't know, wanders from the material at times, assigns a lot of reading.”
-“Awesome, but still don't know anything about K.”
-“For contracts, tape record his review session, and make sure you know everything he says in it. His review is excellent and the test won’t have anything he did not recover in the review.”

D
Dallas (Corporations, Law & Socioeconomics):
-Test: MC test, pretty general questions
-Attendance Policy: Attendance is not mandatory
-Calling on Policy: Assigns rows cases, but always asks for volunteers
-How important reading is: Not that important, she spoon-feeds everything in class
-Lecturing style: Normal and easy spoon-feeding
-“Quiet, slow, not very theoretical.”
-“Very dry.”
-“Law and Socioeconomics with Dallas is centered on interesting concepts and topics, but her teaching style doesn't really lend itself to a particularly enjoyable classroom experience.”
-“Disorganized, but easy grader.”
Devitt (Evidence, Criminal Procedure):
-Test: MC and short answer, closed book
-Attendance Policy: Attendance is not mandatory
-Calling on Policy: Don’t know when you’re getting called on
-How important reading is: Not extremely important for test, but it is when you get called on in class
-Lecturing style: Very interesting, engaging, entertaining
-“I know the Crim Pro is early on Friday, but he is WORTH IT! Trust me, BEST CLASS I have taken at law school.” -“Evidence w/Devitt is great... enough said.”
-”I definitely recommend Devitt for Evidence.”-“Take Devitt for Evidence if you want to learn the law and how to use it in practice. Dripps is cool, but much more theoretical and a little ‘all over the place.’ Devitt's class is fun, and so far has been the best class I've taken in law school.”
-“I highly recommend Evidence with Devitt.”
-“For Evidence, can't go wrong either way, both Montoya and Devitt are great.”
-"He's a good teacher, but his test was really hard."Dripps (Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence):
-“Awesome, funny, very proficient.”
-“Dripps = baller.”
-“Dripps is cool, but much more theoretical and a little ‘all over the place.’”
-“Take Crim Pro with Dripps...funny teacher.”
-“Crim Pro with Dripps was interesting and the test was fair. I was originally enrolled in Kamisar, but I dropped for Dripps because Kamisar seemed to biased.”
-“Crim Pro with Dripps is better than Crim Pro with Kamisar. I had Kamisar and dropped at the last minute to transfer to Dripps, and boy am I glad.” -“I highly recommend Criminal Procedure with Dripps.”

F
Fellmeth (Child Rights & Remedies):
-“Child Rights and Remedies was one of my favorite classes. This guy is the top of the field.”
-“Fellmeth (both of them) - Incredible professors, very committed to their students. I definitely recommend taking Public Interest Law and Practice (if it's your thing).”
Friedman (Corporations, Business Planning):
-Test: MC and essay, closed book
-Attendance Policy: Attendance not mandatory
-Calling on Policy: Know when you are getting called on, alphabetical order
-How important reading is: Pretty important, confusing
-Lecturing style: Goes over cases, pretty funny and interesting
-“Nice, but hard. He loves detail.”
-”Business planning is HARD.”
-”Be careful if you have another class scheduled right after his, because his class always goes over the scheduled time.”

H
Hartwell (Professional Responsibility):
-”If you want an easy PR test, take Hartwell (but he has weekly quizzes).”
Henning (Cyberspace Law):
-“God awful! Do not take cyberspace with her!”-“I would avoid Henning at all costs!”
-“I am convinced that she knows the material in her head. I am also convinced that she has no capacity to convey that information from her head to the class. Always seems very confused. Her test is very basic, but you have to learn the material on your own.”
-“Boring teacher but extremely straightforward; her hypotheticals in class are exactly what is going to be on her final and she lectures exactly on what is going to be on the final.”
Heriot:
-“Heriot is by far the worse professor I have ever had in my life. You learn absolutely nothing from her. She's a waste of space and tuition. Stay away!”
Horton (Family Law):
-“Nice guy, expects a lot and is very prepared. This is for the adjudication seminar, which I hear is no longer required for judicial externships.”
-“Horton knows his sh*t, but you're not graded on class participation, so no incentive in going (it's also easy to fall asleep).”-“Family law w/Horton is hard to wake up for, but attendance is only half mandatory. Quizzes suck, but no final.”
Huffman (Criminal Procedure):
-Test: Long essay
-Attendance Policy: Cares a lot, can only miss 3 classes, takes roll
-Calling on Policy: Don’t know when you’re getting called on
-How important reading is: Pretty important
-Lecturing style: Really good, real world stuff
-“Very knowledgeable. Dry sense of humor. Test is very straightforward (for Crim Pro).”
-“Heard Huffman is a great Crim Pro professor (and good person to know).”

K
Kammer (Communications Law and Policy):
-“Communications Law and Policy with Kammer is good to take...class is chill (he doesn't call on a single person in the whole semester) and the final was like a high school history test. A great filler class.”
Kelly:
-“Cool cat.”
-“VERY straightforward, loves talking to his students, fair, and funny.”
Kolber:
-“BORING; extremely theoretical and he's also new so he needs to get used to teaching.”

L
Law (Federal Courts):
-“Very knowledgeable, but young. Fed Cts. might be the hardest class at the school, but you really do need it if you want to work in the federal system.”
-“TAKE ADMIN LAW WITH PROFESSOR LAW! Trust me. His teaching style is amazing and he is very helpful and committed to making sure students understand what is going on.” -“LAW? Are you kidding me? That is one to stay away from, you will have to buy the books AND go to class, two things that 2Ls and 3Ls should be avoiding.”
Lawrence (UCC Sales, International Sales Transactions):
-“Slow, knowledgeable, seems excited about what he is teaching.”
-“UCC Sales with Lawrence was ok - but you should sit in the front b/c he starts calling on people from the back and you can't hear him unless you're closer up. Final was fair but hard curve b/c everyone knows the material.”
-“I think that for the lazies out there, International Sales Transactions with Lawrence isn't too bad (3 short papers and a 12 page final paper- no final).”
Lazerow:
-“Just say NO to Lazerow.”
-“You're not allowed to use laptops in the class and he doesn't tend to answer your questions in class.”-“Seriously, he is VERY BORING, take him at your own risk.”
Lilly (Wills and Trusts):
-“I agree that class attendance was not mandatory or encouraged in Wills and Trusts, but coming from a person who only went about a 1/3 of the classes, you should go to class. If you go to class you don't really have to do the reading. Of course if you don't go to class OR do the reading, Lilly isn't such an awesome grader.”
Lobel:
-“Very good in small seminar type settings, and if you're taking a paper class with her she will offer a ton of advice and guidance, unlike some other professors.” -“Don't take Lobel, If I could combine lack of self confidence, NUT JOB, and drops more names than a Valet on Rodeo Drive into a word, it would only begin to describe her complete ineptitude.”

M
Martin (Professional Responsibility):
-Test: Really hard midterm, easy final--MC, essay, short answer, closed book
-Attendance Policy: Sign a paper if you are going to miss or if you do not want to get called on that day
-Calling on Policy: Don’t know when you are going to get called on, but you can always sign the paper
-How important reading is: Not that important
-Lecturing style: Very fun, interesting, talks fast
-“Awesome, funny, knows his sh*t.”
-“Martin = baller.”-“FANTASTIC! Funny, EXTREMELY smart, willing to spend the time explaining or discussing the law or anything else you feel like talking about with him, and overall you learn a lot from him.”-“Pretrial Practice with Martin is an excellent class that will give you a good idea of what you will be doing in practice. Plus he's hilarious.”
-“Martin is generally liked, but he can expect a lot.”
McGowan, D. (Professional Responsibility):
-“Confusing and I don't feel like he was a good teacher. Not helpful on the MPRE but maybe that's a standard complaint for all PR classes.”“For PR, mixed reviews about McGowan (likes 4 hour exams and goes through things faster than Speedy Gonzalez on crack).”
McGowan, M. (Employment Discrimination, Constitutional Law II):
“She is a great professor, and her powerpoints that she posts on TWEN are extremely helpful. Employment Discrimination and Con Law II taught by her were both great classes.”
Minan:
-“Nice, kind of makes class interesting, class won't be cake, but he is straightforward.”
Montoya (Criminal Law, Evidence):
-Test: Really straightforward, closed book, short answer and MC
-Attendance Policy: Sign a paper if you are going to miss, or do not want to get called on that day.
-Calling on Policy: Alphabetical order
-How important reading is: No case book for Evidence, your book is a treatise
-Lecturing style: Fun and interesting
-“Really knows her stuff. Entertaining.”
-“Spectacular! She knows her sh*t and expects you to know it too.”-“Entertaining, intelligent, hippie.”
-“Gives push points, good class.”
-“For Evidence, can't go wrong either way, both Montoya and Devitt are great.”
Morris:
-“Nice, willing to talk to you about the material, but kind of dry, not straightforward about the material at times.”
Murr (Professional Responsibility):
-“Awesome, gender discrimination is great.”-“Great professor. Comes highly recommended.”-“Murr (PR) - really nice lady.”
-“VERY helpful, intelligent, and witty individual...should be an interesting and slightly entertaining/casual class.”

N
Nolan:
-“I'd rather shoot myself then take her again.”
-“NO! Run if you see her! You don't learn a thing. She babbles, I think she escaped the crazy bus.”

O
Oster:
-“She doesn't really seem to know what she wants, so you end up confused about what to do. She doesn't really explain anything well but she is pretty nice and usually fair.”

P
Partnoy (Corporate Finance):
-“Hands down the most sarcastic and enjoyable class I have had. But his test is hard and he requires a lot of reading. But his jokes make up for it.”
-“Corporate Finance w/ Partnoy is extremely interesting but also pretty darn difficult.”
-”Hard test, good teacher, easy to follow, get power points.”
Prakash (Constitutional Law, Securities Regulation):
-Test (Con Law): Multiple Choice (except he made it half essay this year), nonsense, weird
-Test (SR): Open book midterm, closed book final, all MC
-Attendance Policy: Attendance not mandatory.
-Calling on Policy: Don’t know when you will get called on.
-How important reading is: Sort of
-Lecturing style (Con Law): Random, blah style
-Lecturing style (SR): Interesting
-“Hard exams.”
-“Prakash is the nicest guy ever, but can be disorganized at times.”

R
L. Ramsey:
-“Avoid at all costs taking classes w/ Lisa Ramsey!”
-“Lisa Ramsey is boring, but has a fair final (not a hard grader).”
M. Ramsey:
-“The best, smartest professor ever.”
-“Ramsey has good intentions, night classes with him can be a bit boring.”
Rappaport (Environmental Law, Administrative Law):
-Test: VERY hard but fair, MC and essay, hardest test in law school
-Attendance Policy:
-Calling on Policy: Know when you’re getting called on, alphabetical order
-How important reading is: Pretty important
-Lecturing style: Dry sense of humor
-”He’s better in Environmental Law than in Admin Law.”
-“Administrative Law. Good class. He knows his stuff. Admin law, in my opinion, wasn't that difficult.”
Rausenbash (Real Estate Finance):
-“Real Estate Finance w/Rausenbash is not a good class. Boring and slow.”
-“Real Estate Finance = WORST CLASS EVER!”
Reed (Environmental Law, Federal Land Law):
-“Environmental Law and Federal Land Law. He is boring and dry but he will teach you the stuff. Environmental Law is very complex but he did make somewhat simple. He's actually dealt with it in his life as a Justice Dep't attorney.”
-“If Reed is teaching, it's an easy class.”

S
Schwartzchild (Civil Procedure):
-“Strange, kooky, which makes boring subjects somewhat entertaining, at least for a few days.”
-“Kooky guy, but cool. I like his grading.”
-“Schwartzchild is a super chill professor with minimal reading and attendance required. Great if you are taking other courses that require a lot of work.”
Shue (Tax):
-Test: Multiple choice, very fair, open rule book
-Attendance Policy: Takes roll
-Calling on Policy: Snake method, you know when you are getting called on, 3-4 people per class
-How important reading is: Pretty important
-Lecturing Style: Pretty good, does problems out of the book
-“Tax with Shue is as good as you're gonna get and trust her when she says she doesn't hide the ball. Her test is straight forward.”
Smith, T. (Corporations, Mergers & Acquisitions):
-Test: MC test, based on case law, but not a lot of questions, so margin for error is small
-Attendance Policy: Attendance not mandatory
-Calling on Policy: Alphabetical order, doesn’t care if you don’t want to talk
-How important reading is: Not that important
-Lecturing style: Fun, full of real world stories
-“Highly entertaining, though you don't learn all that much in class; great to talk to outside of class if you have questions though.”
-“Will never fill the entire class period (so it seems like a 3-unit class).”-“Very entertaining, that said, he also does a poor job of actually teaching the material, gets sidetracked very easily, and makes the most RIDICULOUSLY hard finals I have seen.” -“Mergers & Acquisitions with Tom Smith was okay, the test was fair.”-“Negotiations with Prof. Smith is fun and super easy.”
Smith, S. (Constitutional Law, Religion and Law):
-Test: Essay test, open book
-Attendance Policy: Sign a paper if you are going to miss or if you do not want to get called on that day.
-Calling on Policy: Rarely calls on people
-How important reading is: Not that important, and it’s not a lot of reading (6-10 pages a night)
-Lecturing style: Organized in his own way, pretty funny in a cute, silly way
-“Very theoretical; we talk too much about how we feel about certain rulings.”-“Gets a bad rap for being sort of boring, but I really like him. Very straight forward, very knowledgeable, and one of the most approachable profs in office hours.”
-“Really nice, sweet, kind of funny guy. Everyone really likes the class and him. He’s goofy. Good teacher.”
Snyder (Tax):
-“DO NOT take Tax with Snyder. Please, avoid him at all costs.”
Spiedel (UCC Sales):
-Test: Essays, hard “law school” test.
-Attendance Policy: Attendance not mandatory.
-Calling on Policy: Don’t know when you will get called on.
-How important reading is: VERY important
-Lecturing style: Very intellectual, hard to follow. A lot of people hate the class, but a few really like it.
-“Good professor, but wrote the text book, was on the revision committee for the UCC, enough said.”-“Spiedel is a good UCC Sales professor, but the subject is boring.” -“Spiedel is a little boring at times but he's really nice, like your grandpa.”
-“UCC Sales w/Speidel is a good class, but it gets kind of boring.”

U
Ursin:
-“I definitely recommend taking any seminar Professor Ursin is teaching. The subject matter is always interesting and he encourages interesting but not intimidating class discussion.”
-“Slow.”

W
Wharton (Environmental Clinic, Mock Trial):
-“Environmental Clinic. I never learned more in any class than I learned in that clinic. Wharton forces you to be prepared; he will berate you in class if he feels you didn't prepare. The only professor I know of to actually use the Socratic Method at this school. (On a side note, any clinic is an excellent opportunity to go beyond the theory and not risk your employment.)”
Wiggins, M.J. (Property, Bankruptcy):
-“Open to talking to you after class, nice, interesting, she tries to discuss current events in relation to the material, but overall the course probably won't be easy.”-“Real cool.”
-“Seems intimidating at first, but is a real sweetheart. She is willing to take the time to explain things to you, and she is great at answering emails (unlike some professors). Be prepared for class; you DO NOT want to get called on unprepared.”

Z
Zacharias (Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibility):
-Test: Really hard MC, based on small comments made in class, essay- medium
-Attendance Policy: Attendance not mandatory, but it’s important to attend because of what is stated above
-Calling on Policy: Strict Socratic method
-How important reading is: Important, expects you to be really prepared, and makes you memorize rules on your own
-Lecturing style: Vague, ambiguous questions about what lawyers feel and think
-“Great if you like the Socratic method; Con Law is a boring class but it's the most interesting because he keeps you on your toes.”-“Cool cat.”
-“Very bad, don’t take a class from him! He will yell at you and make you cry.”ETC...
-“If you're not a morning person, don't attempt morning classes (you won't go), same goes for night classes for those who aren't night people.”
-“Interviewing and Counseling was the best class ever. I think this is THE MUST-TAKE class at USD. 1 paper (less than 10 pages), 1 5-minute presentation, 4 journals.”-“Law Skills II is good, but don't take the small section with Wyzga unless you like talking about stories and story-telling.”
-“Lawyering Skills II: An easy class that is pass/fail.”-“Constitutional Law II is a very helpful class if you intend to do anything in the future that might involve civil rights or equal protection issues.”-“Clinics are great too, but some are competitive to get into...so make sure you take the application process seriously.”
-“Comparative Corporate Law is really boring, but I got a good grade on my paper, so it was worth the boredom.”
-“Take European Legal Cultures whenever its offered. Its short, and the grade is the easiest you will ever get (take home final).”
-“Take Negotiations with either Snyder (A), Wiggins (C), or Hartwell.”-“Take any class from Steve Smith, Brooks, Dalton, Siegan, Shue, Legrand, Leibl, Hartwell, Allen Snyder, Player, Wesley, Devitt, Montoya, Berend, Shore, Dessent, Burke, or Huffman.”
-“Ditto on Murr, Dripps, Devitt, and Wesley... they are all awesome. Don't miss the opportunity to take classes with them.”-“Stay away from Horton (unless you like lots of work), Fellmeth, David McGowan, Kamisar, both Ramseys, Tom Smith, Dallas, Kelly, Henning, Zacharias, and Vargas.”-“There's a helpful "Grade my Professor" page at myspace.com. It doesn't have too many entries yet, but seems to be growing. I like the report card style. If you're a myspace member, go and contribute!”
-"For evening students it's not as big a deal as day because we have another year to go before worrying about jobs. I think the hardest part for most is making sure not to get burned out. It's easy to just get sick of the daily grind, and that is why you need to do interesting stuff but also not get behind in classes."